River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-06-09


they came North from FloriG., and
spent several months II Wasl ngton.
\ graphic picture of the social life of
the capital at that time and some inter-
esting personals are given. Miss Har-
riet Lane, mistress of the White House, -
says Mrs. Hancock. with her personal
charms and courtly manners. was a
universal favorite, and did great credit
to Mr.. Buchanan's administration.
Mrs. Davis, wife Of the Secretary of
| War, Jefferson Davis, whom | well re-
member, was endowed with many re-
markable qualities that made her emin-
emily fitted to be Il presiding genius,
and her entertainments brought tOgeth-
er the most cultivated class of Wash
! ingtOn society Mrs. Joe Johnston was
another shining light in that great
capital, person of unusual intelligence,
1 quick at repartee, which made her most
| fascinating in conversation. Her charm
ing reunions are long to be remembered
by those who were admitted in this
charmed circle. Our happiness that
winter was complete when we left
| Washington with sincere regret and
the most agreeable impressions. How
well | remember General Robert +. Lee,
then a major, who was stationed there
/ at that time. He was the beau ideal
of soldier and a gentleman
AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR.
In marked contrast to these days is
the account of how Mrs. Hancock
found Washington at the outbreak of
the rebellion. when her husband had
just been made a general. She writes:
in accordance with my husbands
wishes took house in Washington
for the Winter, that / might readily
reach him in case he were wounded >
In these soul-stirring days official
and social routine were quite as exact
/ ing; indeed, more so than ord arily.
Washington society was extreme " di-
verSitied frivolous and pretentious, diff
fering materially from the brilliant as
semblies that had graced the capital
city in earlier DAYS. One of the princi-
! pal events Oh that Winter was Il very
exclusive ball. given by Mrs. Lincoln
at the White House. Such an inno-
walton upon established customs sub
/ iected her to severe criticism from
every quarter. Mrs. Lincoln was con-
graduated upon the spirit of independ-
cnce which she inaugurated in the Exc
cutive Mansion, and which should have
found a place there long before. She
! had the courage to emancipate herself
! from the limited routine of action and
habit prescribed for our presidents and
their wives by the populace, who re-
/ ligiously believed that the whole estab-
| lishment, including the body and soul
of the President, belonged to them.
| The invitations were to be limited TO
the Cabinet, the Senate. the Diplomatic
Corps and the major generals of the
army, and Brigadier General Hancock
and his family were the only exceptions.
This was not understood by. ourselves
or our friends until explained to me
by Mrs. lincoln, who expressed
her qualification at the oppor-
tunity which enabled her to return the
hospitality and attention that her
sister and other members of
her family had received from
NY mother upon different occasions
when they were visiting st. Louis.
Mr.. Lincoln rather demurred at first,
but was overruled by his wife, and the
invitation was extended This simple
and unexpected recognition by Mrs.
Lincoln quiet won upon me. In all
the sorrows and reverses which came to
her in after years she had my entire
sympathy. and have always believed
that her subsequent peculiarities were
occasioned by mind weakened from
prolonged anxity and strain. Mr.
Lincoln's careworn face | re III to-day
as wildly as then.
At one of his leyees, In passing him,
| remarked that it would be showing a
greater consideration if | were to re-
fuse his proflered hand, as he must be
weary enough of Misunderstanding. To
this he replied in never-tO- be-fOrgotten
tones .'Ah, if this were all | was called
upon to do how willingly would it be
done for all times But to say No to
the poor unfortmates who come to me
in the belief that | am all-powerful to
pronounce that little word of only
three letters. and who do not. and will
not, understand that | can not act
always rs l wish, but have others to
consult, this keeps me always unhappy"
Mr.. Stanton frequently said TO me:
Mr.. Lincoln has the biggest heart of
Of any man in the world. and for this
reason we have to watch him or the
Southern women, with their winning
ways, would get his permission TO
carry with them enough contraband
goods to supply the Southern army
The period between the two visits to
Washington, just quoted, was spent by
the Hancock family in Los Angeles.
Gal. Many were the adventures had
with the Indians, and on one occasion
some chiefs who were present ut the
house and heard Mrs. Hancock playing
on the piano, left in high dudgeon be-
cause the big Captain would not
make n trade with them, exchanging
his .'squaw and music table" for ponies
and robes.
THE sURRATT EXECUTION.
Mrs Hancock handles the Mrs. Sur
raft matter in vigorous style. 1.-The at
tempt to make General Hancock in Any
way responsible for the trial and execu-
ton Of Mrs. Surratt is as unfair a charge
as any man has ever been called upon
to meet, and he never cared 70 discuss
It, so Obvious 10 all intelligent and fair
minded people did he consider its injus-
tice. The troops, 100000 men. were
under his entire control. including those
that guarded the prisoners. All orders
came to him from the Secretary of War
and through him to General Hartranft.
who was the governor Of the military
prison and who had immediate charge
Of the prisoners and gave the verbal
order for the execution.
General Hancock never understood
why he should be held responsible for
that unhappy execution, a. cruel a
spectacle as ever stained the escutcheon
Of nation President johnson was
wholly responsible for il. Not once.
but many times, did my husband urge
upon the President unanswerable
reasons for granting pardon. He
would reply that he could not. that the
execution was demanded BY many
prominent men of bis party, and por
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